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VOOM HDTV is reborn

Remember when HD provider VOOM went "ka-boom" and blew up earlier this year? When VOOM went dark, their exclusive and extensive HDTV lineup got picked up by Echostar, the parent company of Dish Network. Dish promptly added an option for ten of the VOOM channels at an extra $5 a month. Looks like VOOM is rising from the ashes because they're not done just yet.

Via an e-mail newsletter, I received confirmation that Dish will add the other 11 high-def VOOM channels in 2006; once Dish migrates their receivers from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4. This would make a total of 21 HDTV channels available to Dish subscribers and it's expected that these channels would be incorporated into Dish's current HD package.

The VOOM deal with Dish is a 15-year agreement and leaves open the possibility for VOOM to work deals with other providers. VOOM's parent company, Rainbow Media, plans to spend $100 million per year to help promote VOOM's vast HD channel lineup. Not only is this great for VOOM, but for HD consumers as well; it would be nice if these 21 channels were shared among the various satellite, cable and (dare I say it?) IPTV providers.